"But how can we help him?" asked Dorothy. Her sympathies too were deeply aroused. "Mr. Kit-ze will never give up the image, I fear," she continued.
"We might make him do it," said Clarence quickly, "or pay him to do it."
"No," said Helen emphatically; "we cannot. Neither will do."
"What then?" asked Clarence.
"We might win him to the better way," said Helen softly. "We might coax him to give up this wretched little image for the sweeter things we could help him to attain."
"What! Mr. Kit-ze?" cried Clarence incredulously. "Never! He is too hardened."
"Clarence, how wrong to say that! Has not God's love shown its power to reach even those more hardened than Mr. Kit-ze?"
"But what can we do for this poor fellow here?" repeated Dorothy.
Helen turned her eyes upon Choi-So. As she noted the lean and pallid face, the deep-set eyes in which the light of fanaticism burned steadily, courage, hope, both left her. "Oh, I am sure I don't know!" she cried in despair.
Just at that moment Mallard was seen hastening down the path toward them. From the manner in which he came they felt sure he was the bearer of a message of some kind. "I have bad news," he said as he approached.